Hooked on a Feeling
by Lyra Raine Sparrow
Summary: For as long as they could remember, Peter Pan was always infatuated with the Darling girls. Amelia was no different. She passed her chance to stay in Neverland. Her reason, unlike Wendy and Jane's, wasn't to grow up for her family. Mia didn't notice that Peter never came back. So she became an adult with adult things to do. What an adult she made. This didn't go unnoticed by Hook.
1. Chapter 1

For as long as they could remember, Peter Pan was always infatuated with the Darling girls. So it came as no surprise to Jane, when she found the bed of Amelia bare and glittery with pixie dust on the eve of her twelfth birthday.

That's where our story starts.

Well, sort of.

You see, Amelia's adventures on Neverland were very similar to those of Wendy and Jane. So there's no real reason for me to tell you it over. The only difference was the fact that she never quite fell for Peter the way her mother and grandmother did and vice versa. Perhaps it was the fact that her hair wasn't the same shade as Wendy's or her eyes weren't the same pretty blue of Jane's.

Or even more outlandish, perhaps it could've been that she was more intrigued by Captain James Hook than anything else on the mystical isle.

Whatever the reason, Amelia found herself all too soon back in the familiar soft sheets of her own bed. Exhausted by the weird and wonderful trip, she laid her head and closed her eyes, falling fast asleep just as her mother waved good-bye to Peter Pan and, of course, Tinkerbelle.

* * *

She dreamt of that trip nearly every night. Mostly just bright blurry images she could never quite remember. However, there were a few memories that shone through the cloudy haze of growing up. One was of that boyish smile Peter gave her, the one that was true but never quite reached his eyes. And the other, the most prominent, was of when she was being forced to walk the plank on the _Jolly Roger_ and Hook called to stop Smee from forcing her off the edge. Unfortunately, Smee had already pushed her off.

"You blithering fool!" Captain Hook called as he pulled off his coat. Less than a moment later, Hook dived into the water and rescued Amelia from the octopus.

Of all people Hook was the one to save her! The reason stumped her every time she tried to think of one. Never in _any_ of the stories that she had ever heard did Captain James Hook show so much pity for anyone.

Peter did come back to listen to the stories. But as Amelia and her kid brother, Garret, grew up, the stories slowly started to stop. They never really stopped of course; they were just few and far between. And soon Peter realized that Amelia was soon to be a… a… a _grown-up_ and that her need for childish things was gone.

She was fifteen when Peter came to visit only to find the nursery window, as well as Amelia's, locked.

Saddened, Peter Pan flew back to Neverland.

* * *

Amelia hardly noticed that he never came back. And so she became an adult with many adult things to attend to.

And what an adult she made. She grew tall and lithe. Her dirty blonde hair lengthened; her lips and bust fuller. The only thing that didn't change in the thirteen years since Peter had last visited was the childish light that remained untouched in her dancing blue eyes.

None of this went unnoticed by Hook, who seemed to always find his way into the shadows that spied over Amelia. When asked why he did so, Hook would reply "To figure out when the best time to use her against Pan, you blathering fool!" But if he was honest, that wasn't the reason at all. The truth was Hook wasn't quite sure why he was drawn to her, or why he saved her from the octopus. Perhaps the reason was to find a reason.

At least that's what Hook told himself.

It wasn't until he watched as she prepared for a dinner with her fiancé's boss did he realize why he was he never stopped watching.

* * *

It was late when Amelia finally made it home. Exaggeratedly exhausted, she fell on her bed face first and fell asleep immediately.

The creaking of her window opening at nearly three a.m. did not wake her. Nor did the freezing winter breeze wake her. Interestingly enough it was the soothing movement of a ship rocking back and forth that woke her. Amelia jerked herself awake and found that she sat in a horribly familiar place.

"Hook," she groaned.

Swiftly getting out of the soft bed, she realized two things. One; she was still in her evening gown and large fur coat from the party. And two; the forget-me-not blue eyes of James Hook stared at her from across his quarters.

"Captain James Hook, what a pleasure."

He smiled devilishly. "Indeed it is."

"I certainly hope that you do not plan to use me to get your revenge on Peter Pan. Such a childish thing, don't you think?" Amelia spoke defensively.

Hook shook his head in dismay. "Mia," he said his voice soft, "getting my revenge on Pan isn't my only goal in life. Eventually, I'd like to settle down-"

Amelia scoffed. "You, settling down? As in getting married and having children?" She snorted, "Why do I find this so funny? You're however old and live on a pirate ship docked in a child's dreamland." She shook her head. "I just can't fathom why a swashbuckling pirate captain like you would want to settle down."

A hint of red seeped into his eyes and he slammed his hook into his desk, causing Amelia to smirk with arrogance.

"If it humors you, I am in fact only thirty-two. But I have been stuck on this forsaken island for only god knows how long," he growled.

She chuckled. "Very well then. Is that why you've taken me prisoner yet again? To 'settle down' with you, as you said?"

He arched an eye brow. "And if it is?"

She shrugged. "Hmm, interesting question."

The captain stood and walked in front of his desk. He leaned on it, his ankles and arms crossed. "You do not seem as revolted by the idea as I thought you would."

"So it is true? That's why I'm here?"

He shrugged. "If you wish it."

"Must be some Neverland thing, right? 'If you wish it'. Actually, Hook, I am not as revolted as I thought I would be either. But with seeing you outside my window as a child and even just the other night, I suppose I've gotten used to your presence." An instant of silence passed and Amelia shook her head at her thoughts. "My mother always told me I could find the good in anyone," she uttered slowly as she stepped towards him. "Perhaps, that is why I feel safe when I'm with you. It's because I've found the good in you. She also says I have an uncanny way of attracting the wrong men to me. Take my fiancé Charles for instance, he stole my innocence and wants me for nothing other than my money and I suppose to sleep with me."

"And how do you know I don't want the same," Hook asked intrigued.

Amelia giggled and whispered her next line in his ear, "Because you saved me from that retched octopus."

"Ah, yes."

"Diving in after me and everything. How daring of you. It must have been a spectacle to see; a fearsome pirate who loathes children jumping in to save a silly little twelve-year-old girl. Preposterous, really."

A look of angst passed over his face and she knew she hit the nail on the head. She smirked as she walked over to the full length mirror. She looked over her appearance and grimaced. Her dress was a bit ruffled, not that she cared much in the first place. It was frilly and pink! Amelia absolutely hated the color pink. She only wore it because of Charles's insistence.

Her hair, on the other hand, was her pride and joy. She loved how silky the wavy dirty blonde locks were. At the moment it was extremely disheveled. It was longer than how she normally had it but she had to grow it out for a part in a musical she auditioned for. A part she won because of her hair. A part that would've heightened her popularity in the acting world, and eventually would have gotten her a spotlight on Broadway.

She looked over at the captain and batted her eyes. "You wouldn't by chance have a hairbrush on you, would you? It's taken me long enough to get my hair this nice. I'd be devastated if anything happened to it."

His face stayed emotionless, even as he brought the brush to her and ran it through her hair. Their eyes met in the mirror and a light pink colored both their cheeks. The room was quiet, save for the rhythmic brushing and small commotion heard from out on the deck.

"Thank-you," she said softly as he leaned over to put the brush on a nearby table.

He met her eyes in the mirror and smiled tenderly. "No problem." He moved to block her view of herself. "But I liked when it was shorter, cut just below your chin," he told her taking one of the curls and fingering it. "Long enough to still be considered a woman's hairstyle, but short enough for your ringlets to take full effect."

Hook's hand moved from her hair to lightly pinch her chin between his thumb and forefinger. "Beauty beyond comparison," he mumbled.

Half a moment passed as they stared into each other's eyes. Hook's moved to look longingly at her voluptuous lips.

"Well, I'll give you a week to decide." He dropped his hand and walked back to his desk to receive his jacket from his chair.

Amelia chewed on her nail and tried to hide the disappointment on her face as he walked out of the ornamental room.

"Please do feel free to return to the bed if you feel the need."

She plastered on a counterfeit smile and nodded in assent. "Of course."

"Smee!" Hook crooned as he opened the doors.

Amelia chuckled to herself.

Just like that, Hook went from the hospitable gentleman to the quick-to-anger pirate.

She glanced over to the bed, thinking she may crawl back in bed and try to catch a few extra winks, but ultimately changed her mind and made her way to the deck. She opened the door just in time to see Peter Pan swoop down to slice Hook with the thin blade in his hand.

"JAMES!"


	2. Chapter 2

"JAMES!" Amelia's voice called over the shuffling on the deck, going up seemingly twelve octaves.

The panic in her voice alarmed Captain Hook and he turned around just in time to block Peter Pan's attack.

"Pan, nice of you to drop by," Hook said in a sinister voice.

Peter risked a glance to Amelia. "So it's true," he nearly growled, "Amelia's back."

"Stop it, both of you!" Amelia yelled.

A pointless move. They were boys; they lived to fight. Pan and Hook moved to and fro about the deck, swords clinked every couple of seconds.

Amelia rolled her eyes and grabbed a nearby unoccupied sword, before running down to stop the fight. "You act like children. Oh, never mind. It's a worthless argument."

"She's a grown-up," Peter argued.

Hook smiled. "As am I."

"She doesn't belong here."

"I beg your pardon!" Amelia complained, "What does it matter if I belong here or not. Neither my mother, nor did my grandmother and her brother's belong here, yet you brought them anyway."

Peter paused just for a moment, allowing Hook to get the upper hand.

'_Now look at what you've done, Mia,_' she thought inwardly.

Peter began to lift up into the air and Amelia ran to capture Hook in her arms. When he shot her a "What the hell was that for?" glare, she simply shrugged and said, "You were the least likely to fly away."

"Mia, darling, please release me," Hook asked pleasantly.

"As long as you promise not to kill Peter in my presence," she responded just as sweetly. She looked to the mast where Pan floated. "The same goes for you."

"If you wish it," they replied at the same time.

"You guys seriously need a new saying." She rolled her eyes, but let go. "Swords away," she said as she bent to place her sword on the deck.

Hook returned his sword to the scabbard resting on his hip and Peter allowed his to fall to the deck.

"Thank you. Now, Peter if you'll come stand down here, so the three of us can have a civil conversation." She smiled when Peter's feet touched the deck. "Thank you. Now I am going to ask something of both of you, something very reasonable. And if you don't comply I'm leaving right this instant. Now, I'd like for you two to put aside your differences and revenge missions for a week," she held up her hand when they began to protest, "one week, is all I am asking. Just long enough for me to make up my mind on whether or not I am staying. And during that time, and after if I choose to stay, I will not under any circumstances be used by anyone in any way shape or form against the other. I'm neutral; consider me Switzerland."

Hook furrowed his brow, "Switzerland?"

"It's was a neutral country in both World Wars," Amelia explained, "You wouldn't know, being stuck in Neverland and all."

Both boys nodded in understanding.

"So do we have an accord?" Mia wondered.

More nodding.

"Good. Now shake hand…or hooks." That earned her a lackadaisical glare. "Sorry," she chuckled. "I couldn't help myself."

Hook and Peter shook hands, causing Amelia to smile from ear to ear.

"Are you happy now?"Peter asked.

"Ecstatic," came Mia's answer.

"Splendid," Hook said.

"Where's Tinkerbelle? I'd really love to see the island, and let's not forget the Lost Boys!"

At that moment a tinkling sound could be heard and Tinkerbelle appeared in front of Amelia.

"Oh, there you are," Amelia said, overjoyed.

"Amelia! Is that really you?" Tink asked, "I've missed you a whole lot."

"Oh, yes I missed you, too!" Mia replied.

"Do you still tell stories?"

"Of course," Amelia told her.

"Would you come to Pixie Hollow with me and tell the fairies some stories?"

"Pixie Hollow?"

"Don't you remember?" Tink wondered, "It's the large tree where all the fairies live."

"Oh, yes, I would love to," Mia answered.

"Come fly with me," Tink said as she turned to leave.

"No, I can't, I've forgotten how," Amelia answered sounding sad.

"All it takes is happy thoughts, some faith, trust," Tinkerbelle swirled around Mia showering her in golden pixie dust, "And of course, pixie dust!"

Amelia giggled as lifted in the air and flew high to do a couple of flips, only to get smacked in the face by her fur coat. She landed back on the ground and sighed, "You couldn't have gotten me on any other night?"

Captain Hook shrugged. Amelia took off her jacket and threw it on him before taking to the sky.

"I think I shall go spend some time on the island, I won't be gone terribly long. You won't even have time to miss me; I'll be back before you know it!" And with that, Mia, Tink, and Peter flew off in search of Pixie Hollow.

* * *

It was quite late when Amelia finally made it back to the _Jolly Roger. _Needless to say, the Lost Boys were quite surprised and excited to learn that Mia might stay in Neverland. It meant they would be able to hear stories every night.

Speaking of, Amelia had told the fairies the story of Cinderella, while she told the lost boys about one of the Nancy Drew Mysteries she'd memorized. Of course she changed it just a bit to make it appeal to a group of boys.

She had waited until the boys had fallen asleep before leaving the Hangman's Tree.

"Ms. Amelia?" a voice asked from behind her as she went to open the door to Hook's room.

Amelia turned to see Smee with a worried look on his face. "Yes?"

"The cap'n is sleeping, I wouldn't-"

Mia put a finger to her lips and nodded. She turned to knob carefully and tip-toed her way in. The captain was sleeping in his chair, his head down on his arms. She walked over to him and smiled.

Brushing a stand of hair that seemed to be tickling him out of his face, she gently pressed her lips to his temple.

"Goodnight," she whispered before she went to snuggle up in his bed.

* * *

When morning came she found herself woken by a soft piano melody. She smiled and stretched before going to lean on the piano.

She didn't recognize the song he was playing but she noticed it put James Hook into a really good mood.

"Did you write that?" She wondered.

He shook his head. "No. It was something my mom used to pay when I was a child."

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you."

"You're quite welcome."

He smiled at her. And she opened her mouth to say something but hesitated.

"Could I – could I have a go?" she inquired.

He stood and gestured to the piano. "Be my guest."

She sat down a placed her fingers on the keys. "I'll play something I know I know. I first heard of this studying in America."

She played a short, little jazzy melody, before it shifted to a slow, sweet, and comforting sound.

"It's sound better when I have my harmonica."

"It's sounds nice as it is."

She rolled her eyes and persisted.

"_Its nine o'clock on a Saturday  
The regular crowd shuffles in  
There's an old man sitting next to me  
Makin love to his tonic and gin_"

A small smile lit up her face as she continued from memory.

"_He says, 'Girl, can you play me a memory?  
I'm not really sure how it goes  
But it's sad and its sweet  
And I knew it complete  
When I wore a younger man's clothes'_

_La la la, de de da  
La la, de de da da da_

_Sing us a song, you're the piano man  
Sing us a song tonight  
Well, were all in the mood for a melody  
And you've got us feelin' alright_"

She loved to play and you could tell by the way she put her heart into it. She giggled softly as the excitement became too much for her.

"_Now John at the bar is a friend of mine  
He gets me my drinks for free  
And he's quick with a joke  
Or to light up your smoke  
But there's someplace that he'd rather be_

_He says, 'Mia, I believe this is killing me.'  
As the smile ran away from his face  
Well I'm sure that I could be a movie star  
If I could get out of this place_

_Oh, la la la, de de da  
La la, de de da da da_

_Now Paul is a real estate novelist  
Who never had time for a wife  
And he's talkin' with Davie  
Who's still in the Navy  
And probably will be for life_"

She hummed for a bit as she watched her fingers dance across the ivory keys.

"_And the waitress is practicing politics  
As the businessmen slowly get stoned  
Yes, they're sharing a drink they call loneliness  
But it's better than drinkin' alone_"

Hook watched at how much fun she was having. She swaying in tune to the music, '_Which isn't so bad itself_,' he surmised.

Even her long, messy hair falling into her face didn't faze her.

"_Sing us a song, you're the piano man  
Sing us a song tonight  
Well, were all in the mood for a melody  
And you've got us feelin' alright"_

She laughed wholeheartedly and looks to Hook. He smiles at her, but not his normal devilish leer, a real, heartwarming smile. And she winks causing his smile to grow even more.

"_It's a pretty good crowd for a Saturday  
And the manager gives me a smile  
'Cause he knows that it's me  
They've been comin' to see  
To forget about life for a while_

_And the piano, it sounds like a carnival  
And the microphone smells like a beer  
And they sit at the bar  
And put bread in my jar  
And say, man, what are you doin' here?_

_Oh, la la la, de de da  
La la, de de da da da_

_Sing us a song, you're the piano man  
Sing us a song tonight  
Well, were all in the mood for a melody  
And you've got us feelin' alright_"

The music drew to a close and Mia placed her hands in her lap.

"Bravo," Hook said appreciatively, "I'd applaud, but I find it rather difficult these days."

She chuckled. "Hypothetically, if I were to stay, not that I've made up my mind, yet at least, do you think we could possibly get my sheet music from my apartment?"

"If you wish it."

Mia groaned. "Really need to rid yourselves of that phrase."

* * *

_**A/n: Ahh… So I wanted to remain fairly anonymous for a while but I can't drag that on too long. So the end of the chapter it is.**_

_**First, yes this is a romance between the evil Captain James Hook (who was never meant to be quite so evil, and is a true gentleman) and my OC Amelia, or Mia as her brother and apparently Hook call her.**_

_**Second, this based off of the events of the two Disney movies but using the characters from the 2003 movie (mainly because Jeremy Sumpter's smile absolutely melts my smile every time).**_

_**Third, this takes place in December of 1979 (yes, I did the math). Making Mia 28. So nothing too weird**_

_**Fourth, please favorite and review. It makes me write faster.**_

_**And finally…. Disclaimer: I do not own Peter Pan or anything affiliated with it. The same goes for Billy Joel's Piano man.**_


	3. Chapter 3

Midday found Amelia back a Mermaid Lagoon. The otherworldly creatures fascinated her. Of course she made sure to stay away from them, the clicking just scared her.

But the shimmer of the water in the warm sun was beautiful.

Down by the edge of the water, sat a tiny fairy. She wore a dress made of a blue petal that reminded Mia of a water fall, and long hair the color of a raven's wing.

"Why hello there, who might you be?" Mia quizzed as she lay on her stomach.

The fairy jumped and looked to Mia with a shocked look. "I'm Silvermist. My friends call me Sil. It's nice to meet you. And you are?" She curtsied.

"It's nice to meet you too, Silvermist, I'm Amelia, but you can call me Mia."

"You can understand me?"

"Of course I can understand you. Why wouldn't I be able to?"

"Because, a human can only understand a fairy if the fairy uses his or her own dust on the human."

"Really? That's weird, I've always been able to understand Tinkerbelle," Mia said intrigued. "Even before she used her pixie dust on me."

Silvermist just shrugged. "Maybe you're just special."

Mia smiled brightly. "I like to think so."

* * *

"Are you really going to stay forever?" one of the twins asked.

"I don't know, maybe," Mia answered later that day as she tried to put the Lost Boys to bed, "But I still have a whole life to live in London."

"But mother!" Slightly whined.

"No buts. Now, it's time to sleep. Go get in bed, all of you," Mia said sternly. "You too, Peter."

"Aww, but I'm not tired," Peter complained. He yawned shortly after disproving his point.

"Uh-huh. Right," Amelia said unconvinced.

After a short battle to get the lost boys and their leader in bed, Mia finally sat on the edge of the twins' makeshift bed to tuck them in.

"Mother, will you tell us a story?" Tootles asked.

"Do you have any particular story in mind?" Mia wondered.

There was a chorus of random stories and plot lines before the bickering started.

"Boys!"

They immediately shut-up and looked expectantly at their mother.

"Why don't I just sing you a lullaby?" Amelia asked seriously.

"What's a lullaby?" Curly asked.

Mia smiled and walked over to tuck him in. "It's a song that parents sing to put their children to sleep."

"Oh," came his response, "Okay."

Amelia chuckled and moved to the next child as she began to sing.

"_The other night, dear, as I lay sleeping  
I dreamed I held you in my arms  
When I awoke, dear, I was mistaken  
So I bowed my head and I cried_"

The boys eyelids began to droop but you could tell that they were trying to fight it.

"_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine  
You make me happy when skies are gray  
You'll never know, dear, how much I love  
Please don't take my sunshine away_"

Everybody but Peter, who had started playing his pan flute to the melody, decided to give in to their exhaustion. Mia hummed as she walked around blowing out a few of the candles, leaving just one by each bed.

"_I've always loved you and made you happy  
And nothing else could come between  
But now you've left me to love another  
You have shattered all of my dreams_

_You are my sunshine, my only sunshine  
You make me happy when skies are gray  
You'll never know, dear, how much I love  
Please don't take my sunshine away_"

Amelia had reached the door to the hideout and looked back at the peaceful scene. "Goodnight Peter. I'll see you soon."

"Goodnight Amelia," he called softly to her as sleep finally decided to take over.

As she climbed out, a chill ran down her spine. She ignored the chilly night as she flew back to the ship.

* * *

Once on board, she noticed that it was even more eerie than the night before. The crew seemed to all be asleep, and the nearly full moon seemed to cast strange shadows on the ship.

'_Best get inside before my imagination gets the best of me._'

From the windows, Amelia could see the lights weren't on in the cabin. Figuring Hook asleep, she snuck in and tried to close the door as silent as possible.

When she turned around she could barely make out Hook's sleeping figure on his bed in the dim moonlight. Amelia nearly groaned aloud.

She looked back and forth between the bed and nearby chair a few times, biting her lip. A soft snigger made its way over to her.

"Come on, Mia," Hook called lifting the blanket, "We're both adults who are capable of controlling themselves. Besides you look like you're dead on your feet."

"I just ran around a jungle with eight little boys, of course I'm bushed."

In the limited light Hook barely made out Mia's figure as she moved slightly. The sound of rustling fabric met his ears, and the black figure seemed to shed a couple layers of clothes on.

"Did you just –"

Mia chuckled. "Don't get your hopes up. I still have my slip on; I just couldn't sleep in that gown any longer."

He hummed his amusement as Mia slipped under the covers.

"Goodnight _darling_," she yawned heavily, closing her eyes, "'til the morning."

"Goodnight Amelia, me love." The words were lost in the night. She was already asleep.

* * *

He awoke a few hours later by a tickle to his face that only seemed to get worse the more he moved. He tried to use his good hand to scratch his face but found in pinned down by a soft weight. He risked a glance at the woman he held in his arms. Her face was angled just enough to catch a moonbeam.

She looked much younger in her sleep, more peaceful. He smirked sleepily and pulled her closer to himself. She squirmed a bit and laid her head on his chest right underneath his chin.

He inhaled the scent of her hair. Lavender, sage, and something else he couldn't quite put his finger on.

'_Strange_,' he thought, '_I'll have to ask her about it later._'

Hook fell asleep as he tried to figure out the mystery scent.

* * *

"_James…" her voiced called._

"_James..."_

"_Jamie…" Even in his dreams, she could always manage to surprise him._

"_Darling, wake up…"_

"_Time to get up…" she called again._

"James Hook, get up right now!"

"Five more minutes," he moaned.

"No," Mia said with finality. "Don't make me come over there." She was sitting in his chair behind his desk casually flipping through one of the books she found.

Hook turned away from her and pulled the blanket over his head.

Amelia laughed. "Since when does the fearsome Captain Hook act like a petulant child?"

She wandered over to the bed drunkenly, her heels beating out a staccato rhythm.

"Hmmm? Or is he like this naturally and has to act like the heartless pirate?"

She slipped onto the bed and pulled down the cover.

"Come on. Rise and shine," she whispered as traced one of her long manicured nails down his spine. He shivered when she reached the small of his back. "I asked Smee if he'd allow me to wake you when he came in earlier this morning. He warned that, while you tend to be easy to wake, you're quite cranky."

Hook finally turned towards her, an amused look to his face. "Did he now?"

"Oh, yes but I believe used the words 'ill-tempered'. I could be wrong though. It was a few hours ago at best when he came in," Mia smiled to herself and leaned in close to his face, brushing her lips against his cheek, "I can only imagine what he thinks is going on in here at the moment."

He took a weighty breath, before letting out a breathy; "You are a tease." He rolled away from her and got out of bed.

Mia sighed heavily as she stood up from the bed. "Uh… How am I a tease? Last time I checked, you were the one who left, not I. I fully intended on following through."

"You're wearing me shirt," he replied lamely.

"Thank-you Captain Obvious. It was chilly."

"So you rid yourself of your slip, which probably kept you warmer than me shirt?" he wondered, "Didn't I wear that to bed last night?"

Mia nodded as she slinked over to him. "Oh, that was a challenge in itself." She stepped close so she was chest to chest with him and placed both her hands, fingers spread, across his. "Now, about following through."

She looked up with slight puppy dog eyes, even with her six inch heels; Hook was still half a head taller than her.

"Holy Mary, mother of god, I'm short."

He chuckled and picked her up. "That you are."

Mia wrapped her arms around him and nuzzled his neck. She inhaled deeply and brought her lips to his, pausing momentarily only to look into his icy blue lust filled eyes.

The simple pressing of lips upon lips soon became more as Mia swept her tongue over his bottom lip. He allowed her access, and they explored each other…

* * *

"How did this happen?" Mia wondered peacefully as she lay in their euphoric bubble.

Hook snuggled deeper in to the mess of brunette curls. "Hmm?"

"How do I go from planning a wedding that's only months away, to completely giving myself over to a pirate?"

"Shhh. _C'est la vie_, love. Revel in our euphoria."

* * *

_**A/n : Oooh, a little steamy and smutty and a bit fluffy. And my Word document is now in French…. Hmmm…**_

_**Review, favorite, and alert! Love you guys!**_


	4. Chapter 4

"Done!" Mia exclaimed and held up the garment in her hands.

The small group of fairies circled around the newly altered pink dress.

"Try it on," Silvermist said finally after a long moment of silence.

Amelia slid the dress on over her slip. The once formal ball gown was now torn to midway above her knees, causing some of the tulle to flare out, and was now strapless. The back of the dress was cut out slightly so it now had to be held together by ribbon like one would a corset.

"You look amazing," Fawn surmised.

Mia blushed profusely. "Catch me if you can, Sil!" she yelled as she dove off the large rock and, near silently, landed in the water.

Her altered dress made it easier to move about, allowing her to move only slightly faster. Meaning there was still a slight tug on her braided hair when she surfaced.

"Gotcha!" Vidia said tugging on her hair.

"No fair Vidia! You're much faster than the other fairies."

Vidia stuck her tongue out and flew off before Mia could catch her. Mia laughed and chased after her. This went on for a while. Soon, however, Mia slipped to the deck of the _Jolly Roger_, out of breath and breathing heavily.

"Oh, Jamie!" she called seductively to the captain.

He turned from where he was degrading another pirate to stare at her slightly openmouthed, but still with an impassive face. She slinked to him again, her heels making the same staccato beat as before. Most of the crew gawked at her. She squirmed slightly under the looks, not enough to let anyone know she was disturbed by it. Hook either didn't notice or didn't care at the moment. Her bet was on a mix of both.

"I've a question, darling," murmured Mia when she reached him, a flirty smile lighting up her face.

He raised an eyebrow and the corner of his mouth quirked. He seemed to be amused. "And that would be?"

She blew a handful of pixie dust in his face. "Do you think I would make a good fairy?"

"Spectacular." That was it. There wasn't any emotion behind it. He just straight up deadpanned it.

"Thanks. I was just wondering." She stalked away, pulling her braid over her shoulder to undo it.

That's when Hook saw the slice on the base of her neck. "What is that?" he asked angrily.

"Oh, so now I get a response." She tossed her hair back over her shoulder and loosely tied the ribbon that held the end of the braid on her wrist. "It's nothing," she says.

He grabbed her shoulder roughly with his good hand, causing her to gasp in pain. He moved her hair with his hook, getting it caught and causing her even more pain. "That is most certainly not nothing," he growled, "Who did this?"

"First off, get your bloody hands off of me!" Mia screamed. "Secondly," she continued once he'd backed off, "It happens to be none of your damn business! Mr. Smee!"

Smee came bumbling up to the deck. "Yes Miss Amelia?"

She glared at him. "Find me some rum."

"Rum?" he asks confused.

"Aye, rum. I find it a simple enough task for someone as naive as you. And a bucket of water." Amelia stormed into the captain's cabin and immediately went in search of something, tossing things in random directions as she went. "This place is a bloody pig sty. One would think after a few hundred years stuck on this God forsaken island, you would learn to clean up after yourself!" she called irritably to Hook, "Bloody Hell! Where is my coat?"

"On the chair," he replied calmly.

"Multiple personalities? Huh, figures. Just like every other damn person in this hell hole," Mia groaned as she marched over to her coat. She searched the pockets for whatever and came out with a pink handkerchief and a small vile half filled with a deep red liquid.

Smee came into the room hesitantly, with a large bottle of rum and bucket of water. He set the bucket of water by the door Hook took it off his hands and shooed him out of the room with a glare.

"Give me that!" Mia said as she snatched the bottle of alcohol out of his hands.

She pulled the stopper out with her teeth and spit it out before taking a long swig. She set both the vile and the bottle down on his desk and returned for the water, setting that down on his desk as well. Pulling her hair back over her shoulder showed that the wound had started to bleed. It mustn't have a very deep wound, for it did not shed much blood. It spanned maybe three or four inches across the base of her neck. Hook wondered how he missed that the day before when he brushed her hair.

Mia poured a bit of the rum on her handkerchief and gingerly touched it to the cut, inhaling sharply through her teeth. Rinsing the rag out, she repeated four or five times until she no longer hissed when the rum-soaked rag touched her skin. She goes through the motions once more, this time folding the handkerchief in fourths and drizzling the liquid from the vile on to it.

She manages to get it to stay on her neck by tying the ribbon formerly on her wrist around her neck and wedging the cloth in the little bit of slack she left.

The now empty vile made its way back into Mia pocket of her fur coat while the bottle of rum made it back to her lips.

"Silence is golden, eh?" Mia questioned.

Hook shrugged and glanced around. "Only to some, girlie."

She shot him a death glare. "Who say you to call me girlie?"

"Who say you to snap at me the way ye did?"

She sighed heavily and leveled her eyes with his. "I don't want to be here. I have a home and a family, and I'm supposed to be married in a couple months."

"Then why-"

"Because, I – I, because, I don't know! That's why!" she huffed as she plopped down in his high backed chair. She took another swig.

He pinched the bridge of his nose. "Mia."

"Oh, don't you _Mia _me." Another sip.

"Mia, give me the rum."

"No." Another.

"_Yes_."

"_No._" Another.

"Mia."

"_Jamie." _Another.

Hook stomped purposely over to her and took hold of the bottle. "Amelia, give me the rum."

"James, I said no. I meant it."

He raised his hook as if to hit her but stopped. They glared at each other for a moment.

"Hit me, I dare you. It'll just be another wound to add to the collection."

That stopped him. A look of deep confusion colored his face as he backed away from her.

"What?"

She shook her head. "Forget I mentioned anything." She took a long swallow from the bottle and smiled, toasting the air. "To American apothecaries."

The room was silent for another twenty minutes, save for the swishing the rum made when Mia sipped it.

"I want to go back to London." It was slurred.

"Mia…"

"No, we have absolutely nothing in common. Okay, so maybe we both play piano, but that's where the similarities end. We're not even from the same time period!" she exclaimed throwing her hands in the air, spilling some of the rum.

"We have more in common than you think, Mia."

She waved her hand in a dismissive gesture.

"Tomato, tomahto." She hummed a tune unknown to Hook before asking; "When's your birthday?"

"November 17th," he stated matter-of-factly.

Amelia looked at him flabbergasted. "You remember?"

"Course, why wouldn't I?"

She shrugged. "Don't know… December 24th, Christmas Eve."

"Ah…"

"Favorite color?" she questioned.

"Blue," he said after a moment, "like the soft blue on the edges of a summer sunrise."

"I never figured you to be so soft."

He chuckled. "I'm the fearsome pirate Captain Hook, remember? I'm not supposed to be _soft_."

"But you can be _sensitive_."

"Yers?"

"Mine?"

"Fav'rite color?"

"Blue as well," she answered. Smiling into his eyes she continued; "But like forget-me-nots."

Thunder sounded and Mia's face glowed with excitement.

"Dance with me in the rain?" she asked as she tried to walk gracefully toward him. She stumbled a bit and fell on her butt, giggling uncontrollably.

"Not tonight girlie. Ye need to sleep."

"But I'm not tired and it's not dark out!"

"Yer also not in the best state of mind to make such a decision."

Hook moved to help her up, but she had already beaten him to it. Leaving her shoes where they lay, she walked much more soberly, leading him to think it all to be an act.

"Come now, Captain James Hook! Let's you and I dance the night away!" She sniggered as she stumbled to the door, splashing some rum out of the bottle. "Oopsie!"

"Mr. Smee!" Hook called once they greeted the setting sun.

The buffoon came bumbling up. "Cap'n?"

"Find one of Miss Amelia's-"

"Red-handed Jill," Mia interrupted.

"What?"

"Well, if you want me to stay on the ship I need a pirate name. Grandma Wendy seemed to have a good idea."

"Red-handed Jill then." He turned back to Smee as Mia wandered off and began to play with a bow and sheath of arrows. "As I was sayin' Smee, find one of her fairy friends and tell them she requires their assistance—Mia, please!" he whined as she readied an arrow.

The entire island seemed to hush and turn. Captain Hook begging? To a woman? Surely the must have heard wrong.

"Amelia Monet! Get yerself over here!"

Mia looked to him her eyes wide as saucers.

"Over. Here. Now."

"I. Am not. A dog."

There was a barely audible comment about "Mommy and Daddy fighting", which caused Mia to shoot the readied arrow in his direction without looking. It hit the commenter square in the chest.

"Would anyone else like to say something?" She slung the sheath and bow over her shoulder and strode across the deck without a single faltering step. "Take me home now," she growled.

Hook raised an eyebrow but did not question it. He called to the crew to ready the ship.


	5. Chapter 5

"_Where did we leave off?" the blonde woman wondered._

"_Mia told Captain Hook to take her home," a young girl replied._

"_Ah yes…."_

* * *

It has been a month since Amelia has returned from Neverland. A hellish month at that.

For the first week Jane hardly left her daughter's side, worried that she'd disappear for another two months if she did; Charles seemed to be too uncharacteristically sweet, tending to her every beck and call; Garret wouldn't stop calling; Tate, oh sweet American Tate, was the only one who realized that the only thing Mia wanted was to be left alone.

Things began to settle as the second week progressed. Mia was back to listening to her records on full blast, sticking to Aerosmith and Pink Floyd, allowing the voices she missed so much lull her to sleep at night.

The third week ended and things were finally back to normal. Charles returned to his normal self, however you dare describe him. He tried pulling Mia on a camping trip but she refused. Jane hardly came around anymore, sticking to phone calls. On the other hand, Garret came around more, if only for Mia to see her niece more.

Mia enjoyed these visits very much. She loved children and longed for her own so very much. It was one of the main reasons she came back to London. If only she could forget Neverland all together, then perhaps, just perhaps, she could move on and remember her love for Charles again.

* * *

"Melia!" A bright, smiling face popped into the living room window.

Startled, Mia nearly screamed until she realized who it was. "Tatie!"

"Oh, Amelia I bring news."

"And what would that be?" Mia asked.

Tate giggled as she climbed in the window. "Alas, my four month internship is ending."

Mia frowned and looked at her closest friend. "Oh no! You're leaving aren't you? Oh, whatever am I going to do without you?"

"You didn't let me finish! My internship is ending but, Leonardo is hiring me full time. Apparently, I know more about the oils and powders and other stuff than most of his employees."

Mia jumped up from her couch and hugged Tate. "Oh, what wonderful news. It really is!"

"But… I hear the but in your voice. Spill it sister." She smiled softly. "Is it Charles?"

Mia shook her head. "No. I was thinking about making a book of sorts. One about the stories of Neverland."

"Sounds like a plan. How can I help?"

Mia chuckled and explained how she wanted to make this book very much like the apothecary's guide Tate carried with her everywhere. With Wendy and Jane's stories forever burned into her mind, Mia figured it an easy task. How wrong she was. The next few days brought troubles upon troubles. Mia recited as Tate scribed.

"So why are you so caught up on this pirate guy? Is Charles not good enough?" Tate asked.

Mia rolled her eyes, it wasn't the first time Tate had brought this topic up. "I dunno."

Tate looked at her expecting more. "You don't know why you're caught up on the pirate, or if Charles is good enough?" she spoke after a moment of quiet.

"I dunno."

"Then what do you know?" Tate asked harshly.

"I do know that he's narcissistic, and a jerk and he angers so easily. He almost never shows any emotion. And he always has to be in charge!" she exclaimed frustrated, "But he sweet and gentlemanly and just sensitive enough to-" She closed her eyes and sighed, a geeky smile lighting up her lips.

"You're not talking about Charles are you?"

* * *

By the end of the February they had gotten all of the stories written, save the few from Mia's latest trip, and were thinking about the binding and the type of book they wanted to put it in when a fuming Charles burst into Mia's apartment.

"What's got you so angry, dear?" Mia asked.

He glared at her with a ferocious look. "I've gotten a rather upsetting phone call."

Mia stood up from her tiny kitchen table and walked to him. "A phone call? From who?"

"Your mother."

"My mother? Why?"

"Apparently, you have decided to postpone the wedding, possibly cancel it entirely," he growled at her and walked over to her counter, eyeing the knife block.

Mia looked astonished. "I said no such thing. Nor do I have a reason to. I came back to London because of you." It wasn't an entire lie. She noticed where his eyes seemed to travel and took a step away.

Charles just huffed and clenched his teeth.

"Look, Charles, I haven't the foggiest why she would say something so trivial, but I can assure you it's not true," she complained halfheartedly. "There is no reason for you to even believe in such words."

He scoffed. "Oh, no? And what makes what you say any truer?"

"Because I lo – " she choked. Why couldn't she say it? _Because I love you_. Four simple little words. And they were so true.

"Because you what? Because you say so? Because you love me?" he wondered, his voice got louder with every question. "Just say it Amelia! You loathe me! Ever since you came back from Wonderland or wherever the bloody hell you were for two months, you've become so distant! Worse yet, you screamed 'James' as I made love to you!"

Mia silently fumed herself. "How dare you come at me? In my own home, nonetheless! Get out! Now! And don't come back until you've settled."

Charles chuckled darkly. "Who are you to bark orders to me? I am soon to be your husband, and you my wife, you belong to me!"

"I'm just gonna…. take off. I'll see you later…" Tata said apprehensively. She turned and threw herself out of the line of fire and onto the fire escape.

"What has gotten into you? It's rubbish! You're acting like such a… a…"

"A what?" he sneered.

"Such a codfish!" she bellowed.

"A codfish? Well that proves it! You've lost it! Why don't you just return to Wonderland?"

"For the last time! NEVERLAND!"

"Whatever!"

Mia's engagement ring found its way off her finger and was flung across the room.

"I hate you!"

She ran to her bedroom slamming the door just as a knife flew across the room.

* * *

"You're leaving me?" Tate cried.

"I'll come back to visit, I still have family here."

Tate frowned as she picked up an Elvis record. "But that means I won't be able to just pop in whenever. Like, how fair is that?"

"Tell you what, because I love you so, I'll let you have my entire record collection. Given that when I do visit, you return any and all rights to me," Mia said a slight smile hidden in her voice.

The cutest little silver Bengal kitten padded into the room, hopped up on the bed (via kitty stairs), and stumbled into the large trunk Mia was packing.

"Lorelei! Oh, Tate you brought her!" Mia picked her up and loved on her.

"Please, please tell me you'll take her with you. She's incredibly moody when she misses her Mommy," Tate begged. "Please?"

Amelia chuckled, "Of course."

"Good. Now don't leave until you get the rest of her stuff. My place is small enough as it is."

* * *

"_Now rest your sleepy little head," the woman told the girl._

"_But Momma!"_

"_No buts. It time to rest. I'll continue the story tomorrow night."_

* * *

The kitten curled up next to Amelia as she slept, her eyes glued to the window. Lorelei would be damned if she let those rotten men take her mommy again.

_Mia…_ the wind called. It was soft and feminine, almost a young girl's whisper. _Mia…_

Lorelei jumped off the bed and climbed onto the large trunk placed beneath the window, her bright green eyes serving as a warning to the whisper.

The cat's head tilted as the balls of light danced at the window.

"Oh, just look at her. So cute!" one said.

"Shh! Fawn, Mia can understand us remember?" spoke another.

"What are we doing here anyway?" another wondered.

"Sil and I promised to look after her," told a fourth.

Lorelei jumped up and allowed her paws to touch the cool glass.

Mia stirred and turned over in her bed.

"I don't know why you guys agreed to anything Hook said in the first place," the third light said.

The light named Fawn still blubbered over Lorelei as Mia sat up in her bed. Disoriented, Mia looked about and saw Lorelei with her face to the glass.

Unfortunately, the lights were gone before Mia came over.

"Come on, silly girl," Mia said sleepily, "It's time to sleep. I'm sure whatever is keeping you up will leave us be for the night." She placed the kitten on the bed next to her and snuggled into her pillow, dreams of Neverland washing over her.

* * *

_**A/n: So have I confused you yet?**_

_**Give me two weeks and my updates should be once a day again…. Not that I'm planning on waiting that long before the next update.**_

_**See Chapter 2 for disclaimer.**_


	6. Chapter 6

She came to him at night. Always at night. He'd smell her in an empty room; see her standing on the dark deck just out of his reach. Her voice called to him, the same sweet, mocking tone every time.

"_Jamie… Come to me my darling…_" And then he'd hear a ghostly laugh.

Nearly every night.

* * *

Roses.

The sickly sweet scent of rotting roses tickled Hook's senses and triggered his gag reflex. He tried to turn away from it but the smell grew stronger. His eyes flew open as he tried to gasp for air like a fish out of water.

The color of the rose that sat on Mia's pillow was too intense to be natural. Crimson. It was crimson; the color of freshly drawn blood.

But when he picked up the rose, the scent changed. Lavender. Sage. And though he still couldn't place the third it was still more welcomed then roses.

When he woke again, the rose he'd placed onto his desk was gone.

* * *

There it was again. Her scent teased him. Every breath of it was like the first. It was so unusual.

'_I've gone insane_,' he told himself as he squeezed his eyes tighter, willing himself to sleep.

"_Jamie… Jamie, my darling, please hold me,_" her voice called to him.

No ethereal laugh, but he felt her soft lips press against his, if only for the briefest of moments. She curled up next to him, her supple, voluptuous body enticing.

She was gone by morning.

* * *

Lightning strikes again, thunder rolling soon after. Pan was still angry at Hook for sending Amelia away. It was yet another restless night, and swear to whomever, for the first time ever, Hook might actually be sea sick. Though, it could just be a side effect of his manic depression.

"Dance with me Jamie! In the rain!"

Oh, lord. Not again.

"James," she whined, "Come dance with me, please?"

"Yer goin' to be the death of me, Amelia!" he called out.

That ghostly giggle was hardly washed out by thunder. "Darling, please come dance."

"Not in that weather. 'Sides, I'm not dancing with the product of my insanity."

"But, you're not insane. I really am here." A flash of lightning showed she sat on the edge of the bed.

But as quick as she appeared, she'd disappeared.

"Now, come dance!"

* * *

"Oh, capt'n. Ye mustn't sleep out in the rain. You'll catch yer death," Smee said in the morning.

Hook opened his eyes slightly. "Where's Mia?"

Smee looked at him strangely, "Ya know as well as I, that Miss Amelia went back to London. Are ye feelin' okay?"

Hook chuckled feebly and laid his head back down.

* * *

"Sumthin's up with tha capt'n."

"He does seem to be actin' a bit….odd."

"Odd?"

"Aye, odd."

"Perhaps _she's _back."

"No, she woulda been spotted."

* * *

"_Jamie,_" her voice came to him on the darkest of nights. It originated from outside, perhaps just the whistle on the wind.

"Jamie. Come to me."

No. It was too clear to not be real. On a whim he stepped out into the night. A single lantern was lit to light the deck on this moonless night.

She looked heavenly there, standing just out of reach as always, donned in nothing but a loose white dress which whipped to the side in the cool sea breeze much like her curled hair.

"I've missed you, James."

"Mia?"

She laughed. "Of course silly, who else would it be?"

A small, gray kitten jumped out of her arms and walked over to him. It hissed once it reached its destination, staring at him in the evil way only cats can.

"Lorelei! Stop that!" Mia called as she stormed over to the cat. "Thank-you my little priss," she said as she picked Lorelei up, "your opinion is always valued."

The kitten meow-oof-ed and looked up at her mommy.

"I know you don't like men." Mia looked up at James and smiled as she walked in to his quarters. "Shall we?"

He followed silently, watching as she placed the cat on his bed before lounging on it.

"Tell me you miss me."

Sitting down in his chair, he sighed. "Terribly," he answered.

She smiled and looked over at him. "I bet you miss me more. I mean, between Charles and Tate… And my book, I just haven't had time to miss anyone… What did you miss most?"

He didn't respond, just continued to stare.

"Then don't answer." She looked back up at the ceiling.

"I _can't_ answer that."

She scoffed. "Sure you can. It's a simple 'Your eyes,' or 'Your hair.'"

"But it's not just that, me love. It's also the way yer nose turns up when you frown, and how you seem to dance instead of walk. How you've always called me Jamie rather than James or Hook. How yer hair smells like lavender, sage, and something that I can't ever name. The childish light that's always in yer eyes," he sighed heavily. "Mia, I love everything about you. And I missed you like couldn't believe."

A silent moment passed and she couldn't be sure but she thought she heard him sniffle. "Are you…_crying_?"

"No." Sniff.

"Oh my, you are. Oh Jamie!"

"I am not crying. It's that cat."

Mia giggled as she crawled out of the bed. "Uh-huh. Sure, blame it on allergies." She sat on his lap and snuggled into his neck. "Dragon's Blood."

"Dragon's Blood?"

"The smell you can't ever name. Lavender, sage, and Dragon's Blood."

He looked confused. "Why would yer hair smell of Dragon's Blood?" Jamie asked genuinely.

"It's not my hair. It's my scar." She pulled her hair over her shoulder and began playing with it. "One too many trips to the infirmary in a month, and people start suspecting. In retrospect, I suppose I should have gone this past time."

"Amelia, what happened?"

"Charles and I got in a fight, that's what happened. With as much spying as you done on me, one would think you would know. A couple of months ago, he and I got in a fight over something so incredibly stupid, he angered so quickly over it." She rolled her eyes. "He has a habit of throwing knives when he's that angry. One thing led to another, and something I said caused him to throw my paring knife at me."

"HE WHAT?"

Mia watched as the red seeped into his eyes. "Calm down, he didn't mean to hit me, he didn't apologize, but he didn't mean to. And he wouldn't have had I not moved. But of course I did, and I just nicked me. Tate fixed me up, and gave me the vile of oils. Then a couple weeks later, you and your crew kidnapped me." She huffed when she realized her explanation didn't rid his eyes of the intruding red. "Relax, baby. I'm in the safest place I could possibly be at the moment; in your arms. And I love you."

He chuckled. "I love you, too, Amelia."

Amelia's eyes lit up, the childish light glinting brightly. She kissed him passionately, and they only broke apart when their need overwhelmed them.

They enjoyed the moment, stealing little kisses here and there, that is to say, at least until Lorelei jumped to join them. James sneezed.

"You really are allergic to cats."

"Why would I lie?"

She shrugged.

They fell asleep like that; the three of them snuggled up together.

Mia wasn't there in the morning.

* * *

With everything going on, the drifting piano music should have worried him. Especially since only Amelia knew how to play the song.

For some reason though, it didn't.

Perhaps, he'd already given in to the insanity, because anytime he heard her or saw her, it always felt real, whether it was or not. The night before being no exception.

Or maybe because he too often played the song in his head.

But it came as a surprise to him when he saw his beloved piano sitting in the middle of the deck of the _Jolly Roger,_ lit sweetly in orangey-reds by the beautiful sunset.

"SMEE! Why is me piano outta me quarters?"

Smee, who had a tiny inkling at what was going on, simply shrugged and replied; "Perhaps there really is a ghost on the ship, capt'n."

Hook turned to the buffoon and pointed his pistol at him.

That's when he heard a most familiar hiss. The piano began to play a second later. He turned back to see a tall, slender woman with long, charcoal black hair start to play.

"If you'll please pay attention to the beautiful brunette playing guitar," the woman asked.

Mia started to strum her guitar and laughed. "Oh please."

"You truly are one of the prettiest people I know."

Mia rolled her eyes and caught James's wandering glance.

"_Baby you're a wrecking ball crashing into me  
Nothing I can do but fall piece by piece  
You broke down every part of me  
That ever thought I'd never need you, baby_

_It's twisted, messed up  
And the more I think about it  
It's crazy, but so what  
I may never understand it  
I'm caught up and I'm hanging on  
I'm gonna love you even if it's wrong_"

Mia saw the look on Tate's face as the apothecary finally took in James. The look on her face nearly made Mia laugh aloud.

"_Everybody's telling me I'm over my head  
If they don't feel you loving me  
They'd all say that I've gone crazy  
Maybe, but it's too late now to save me  
I'm too tangled_

_It's twisted, messed up  
And the more I think about it  
It's crazy, but so what  
I may never understand it  
I'm caught up and I'm hanging on  
I'm gonna love you even if it's wrong  
Even if it's twisted_"

Amelia caught Hook's wandering gaze, again, and smirked. She could see that he so wanted her to really be there, and yet he didn't believe she was. It was her fault, this she knew, and had she not driven him to the brink of insanity then perhaps he would rush to her.

"_Maybe it's not right  
But that's all right  
Yeah, it's all right tonight_

_It's twisted, messed up  
And the more I think about it  
It's crazy, but so what  
I may never understand it_

_It's twisted, messed up  
And the more I think about it  
It's crazy, but so what  
I may never understand it  
I'm caught up and I'm hanging on  
I'm gonna love you even if it's wrong  
Even if it's twisted_

_Even if it's just a little bit, just a little bit,  
Just a little twisted, Yeah  
It's twisted, Yeah_"

She slung the guitar on her back and walked slowly toward him. A beat of silence passed between the two. His unassuming eyes bored into hers looking for an answer to the unasked question.

_Is she really here?_

"Now, that piece I did write-"

* * *

_**A/n: I feel so... under-spoken. I normally write a ton in my author's notes.**_

_**The song, if you were wondering is **_**Twisted**_** by Carrie Underwood. The thing with that is; in my little world I have created, Carrie does not exist. I feel really bad about that.**_

_**Disclaimer: This doesn't belong to me. Er, the movie(s) and song(s) don't at least.**_


	7. Chapter 7

_The large homemade book was placed into the mother's lap. "Story time!" the young black-haired child cooed._

_The mother sighed as the five-year-old climbed up in her lap. The worn book fell open to the last page they were at and the scent of the pressed rose reached their noses._

"_Okay," the mother said, "Mia was trying to win back Captain Hook when we last left off correct?"_

"_Uh-huh."_

"_So we're right here." She pointed at the paragraph and began to read._

* * *

He walked away. That was it. There were no words exchanged, no spontaneous I've-missed-you so-much-kissing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Zero. Nothing.

Just the visual of one Captain James T. Hook walking away.

"J-Jamie? Did I..?" Amelia sputtered as she tried to form a coherent sentence. To say she was shocked was a major understatement. Somehow, though, she regained her composure and started to make her way after him. "You're a bastard!" she yelled at him. "How can you just walk away from me like that? I mean, honestly, I gave up my chance at Broadway for you. I left my fiancé for you, and you don't even say hello?"

Hook stopped, turned and looked at her. He gave a small chuckle as he waved his hand around. "How can I just walk away? You tortured me all week, driving me crazy. You gave this up first. You left me first. And you expect to wander back and ask me to take you back?"

Mia frowned. "I-i-I don't know. I didn't think –"

"You're right. You didn't think." With that, he turned into his cabin and slammed the door.

She hung her head and frowned. "Great." She looked up. "Mr. Smee? Can you get a cabin ready for Tate please?"

Smee waddled up the Brit and grinned. "Yes Miss Amelia. It's great to see you again."

Mia smiled. No need to take her frustration out on the poor first mate. "Thank you. Hopefully, I'm staying. But I'll leave that up to Jamie."

Smee nodded and lead Tate down below deck.

Amelia stumbled to the door that separated her from Hook. She knocked timidly. "Jamie?" No reply came and Mia tried the door. Locked. She knocked a bit harder. "Jamie, please, let me in." She sighed and rested her forehead on the door. "I just want to talk." Still no reply came. "Fine. I'm just gonna talk. Hopefully, you'll listen.

"I made a mistake. A huge mistake. I should have never left the way I did. With you thinking that I would never come back. Nor should I have treated you the way I have the past two weeks or so. I really am sorry, I was thinking of myself only." She huffed. "Please, open the door. Don't you know how hard it is to talk to someone through a door?"

Just on the other side as quiet as the beat of a butterfly's wings, James listened to everything she said, ready to unlock the door as soon as he heard what he wanted to hear.

He wasn't entirely sure what that was.

"Look, Jamie… The entire time I was in London I couldn't stop thinking of you. You can ask Tate. I missed you terribly." She chuckled pathetically. "I called Charles a codfish the last time we spoke. I bounced the ring off his forehead and dove in my room before he threw my paring knife in my heart."

Mia listed to see if James was on the other side and listening. The door swung open and Amelia watched as James's eyes flickered between hurt and anger. Her stomach twisted in knots. She hated seeing him with and other emotion other than happiness.

"Forgive me?" She reached up to place her hand on his cheek but he caught it with his good hand and threw it down.

"No," was all he said before he walked away.

"Jamie?"

"No, Amelia!"

Mia frowned. "You never call me Amelia."

* * *

"_Why did he call her Amelia?" the little girl asked._

_The mother sighed. "Well, because, he didn't want to hurt her."_

"_Why would he hurt her?"_

"_Because he was very angry at what Mia did. And he hurt people when he gets very angry."_

"_Oh."_

"_Can I continue?"_

"_Yes, please!"_

* * *

"Why not?"

Hook ignored her as he walked back into his cabin. Mia stood there dumbstruck as the ship returned to its normal business. Tate came up behind her and placed her hand on her shoulder.

"Now, what would Melia do in this situation?"

"I'm just Mia here. I have nothing to prove here," Mia answered.

Tate shook her head in dismay. "Looks to me like you do."

Mia wiped her eyes and drew a shaky breath. "Well, I guess that answers my question. I'm going ashore." She looked over to the American. "You can come if you like, I'm sure Peter and the Lost Boys would like to meet you. Captain Hook is one to hold a grudge and no amount of groveling I do will change that. Be ready to leave at dawn." She wiped at her eyes as another round of tears began.

She took to the sky not a moment later.

"Melia!" Tate called after her. But it was no use she was too far away. Tate grit her teeth and set her shoulders. A deep breath and she was ready to give this Captain Hook a piece of her mind. Pirate or not, this man was just that; a man. And she'd be damned if she let that man get away with breaking her best friend's heart. She shoved the door and it slammed open.

Hook looked up from where he sat on his bed his head in his hands. "What the-?" He spotted the fuming Tate in the door. "Bloody 'ell woman! Are ye mad?"

"You bet your ass I'm mad! And I'm furious as well!" She stormed over to him. "You think you can waltz right out of Melia's life after she gave up everything for you? Do you have any idea what that consisted of?"

The pirate just stared at her, his mouth agape. How dare she come at him like that? "Do you have any idea who I am?" he yelled as he stood. "I shall do what _I_ like."

"Think again, Mr. Hook. If there is one thing I am positive you can't do, it's break my best friends heart with no remorse and live to see the next day." She crossed her arms and tapped her foot. "Not only did she give up her lifelong dream of being on Broadway and traveling the world, but she gave up her family. Not just Garret and Jane and Henry and Charles and her niece, but her dream family. The two darling little children she wants to have one day and the grandkids she wants to spoil when she's all gray haired and wrinkly." Her voice drifted off in a lovey-dovey tone.

"And you! You had to go and ruin it all!" She shoved her finger in his face. "You couldn't have just let it be, let her be! Haunting her dreams every night for weeks! Even before you snatched her! She was content, perhaps she wasn't happy with Charles, but she was content with him and she was happy with where her life was going! But now she doesn't even have that! She's lost everything! She's lost herself!" Tate threw her hands in the air and sighed heavily.

"She isn't my Melia-Me anymore. Not really. She hasn't been for a really long time. She's been some hollow shell of Amelia Darling. It's uncanny. But there were these brief periods of time when she spoke of you, her eyes brightened, and there was such emotion in her voice, like she was angry and disappointed but in love and caring all at once."

Hook just stood there and let the woman rant. Mia had told him of Tate's ranting when she was angry and the best way to stop them was to not and just let them run their course. But of course it didn't make him any less aggravated.

"When she saw you tonight, her eyes just lit up, and she sang! Not because she was asked to, or needed to for a part, but because _she wanted to_. Amelia really does love you and I have a feeling she does everything with you in mind. Er, at least now she does." Tate sighed and looked to her feet. "I just don't get it."

Hook narrowed his eyes at her and growled. "No remorse?" he asked, clearly pissed off. "You think I don't regret hurting her?" He sniggered humorlessly dark and leered at the black-haired woman. "I've been intrigued by that lass the day she stepped foot on this forsaken island sixteen years ago! I risked me precious life to save her from the bloody octopus that wants to eat me! I love her! I've always cared for her, even when she was naught but a child! She happens to be very nearly me whole world and you think I don't regret breaking her heart!" He chuckles again leading Tate to think that Mia might have driven him past the brink of insanity. "Of course I do you insufferable woman! But she hurt me first!"

Tate drew in a shaky breath. "So that's what this is to you? A battle. A duel to see who loves who more? This is not a game! Amelia is not a prize to be won nor is her love, and by the sounds of things neither are you! I'm glad she's decided to leave you and join Peter Pan in his quest to rid this island of prates once and for all!" Tate kept glaring at him and never once faltered even when the lie left her lips. "Melia grew up for you. Perhaps that's not the reason she's told herself, but it is. Perhaps it's time you grew up too." With that, Tate composed herself and strode out the door and went in search of her bestest friend.

Hook just stared at the blank wall and thought over what Tate said. She was right of course. About everything, well most things. She was wrong when she said that he had no remorse. He did. He had tons of it! He never wanted to hurt Mia.

And that's exactly what he did.

A thought popped in his head about how he'd rather have Pan kill him than live without Mia's affection. He briefly wonders how he could be so infatuated with this woman he barely knew but shook that thought out of his head. He didn't care how it came to be, all that matter to him was that he was and Mia returned that feeling, er at least she did.

James sighed deeply. She's to join his enemy and defeat him.

But not if he had a say in the matter. He practically begged every deity he could think of as her rushed out on deck to let Mia still forgive him. He'd be damned if her let her get away this time.

* * *

_**A/n: Okay me lovelies! *ducks thrown random things* Sorry it's taken forever for this long a waited update but it's finally here! I've had a lot of computer trouble and I got caught up in this project that started out just a side project but turned out to be the only thing I wanted to work on. And who am I to argue? I just follow the plot bunnies to wherever they lead me! And then I had some rather troublesome boy trouble and well let's just say that distraction is no longer in play…**_

_**I promise you though I will not give up on this! I have thought it through way too much! I will continue to work on my Pirates of the Caribbean story just a bit more than this one, unfortunately. Mainly because I really like working on it and it's almost done.**_

_**Haha! I'll see you guys the next time I post, which shan't be too long from now. BUT! I make no promises, just know that I have not stopped working to make this the best it can be.**_

_**Review, alert, and favorite!***_

_**Lots o' love,  
Lyra Raine Sparrow!**_

*seriously, just one tiny little review is all I'm asking for! Don't make me beg!


	8. Chapter 8

Finally after what seemed like days, Hook stumbled onto Mia's favorite thinking spot. It was by the soft waterfall at Mermaid Lagoon. She just sat there in her jade silk dress, her dirty blonde hair messy and falling into her face as she held her guitar close to her person. She was humming something and playing only a few notes at a time. He simply watched her as she began to string the melody she was humming and her notes she was playing together.

"_Lately nothing I do ever seems to please you  
And maybe turning my back would be that much easier  
'Cause hurtful word are all that we exchange  
But I can't watch you walk away"_

She smirked and a truly peaceful look came to her eyes as she looked up and sang the next verse.

"_Can I forget about the way it feels to touch you?  
And all about the good times that we've been through?  
Could I wake up without you every day?  
Would I let you walk away?_

_No, I can't learn to live without  
And I can't give up on us now_

_Oh, I know I could say we're through  
And tell myself I'm over you.  
But even if I made a vow;  
I promise not to miss you now  
And try to hide the truth inside  
I'd fail 'cause I, I just can't live a lie_

_Could I forget the look that tells me that you want me?  
And all the reasons that make loving you so easy?  
The kiss that always makes it hard to breathe?  
The way you know just what I mean?_

_No, I can't learn to live without  
Oh, so don't you give up on us now_

_Oh, I know I could say we're through  
And tell myself I'm over you.  
But even if I made a vow;  
I promise not to miss you now  
And try to hide the truth inside  
I'd fail 'cause I, I just can't live a lie_

_Oh, and I don't wanna try_

_Oh, I know I could say we're through  
And tell myself I'm over you.  
But even if I made a vow;  
I promise not to miss you now  
And try to hide the truth inside  
I'd fail 'cause I, I just can't live a lie_

_But even if I made a vow;  
I promise not to miss you now  
And try to hide the truth inside  
I'd fail 'cause I, I just can't live a lie_

_Oh, I can't live a lie  
Oh, I can't live a lie"_

Just as Hook realized that he'd been watching for a creepily long period of time and went to step out of hiding that damned Pan crowed.

* * *

"Melia-Me!" Tate called as she stumbled through the jungle of Neverland. "Melia-Me, where are you?" It had been at least an hour and she was getting restless and tired and antsy. "Amelia Monet Darling! Where the hell are you?"

Suddenly a young blonde boy dressed in all green appeared in front of her. She had an inkling that this was the infamous Peter Pan "Who are you and why are you looking for Amelia?"

Tate eyes widened. "I'm Tate, Melia's best friend," she said proudly, "and I'm looking for her because I want to comfort her. She was upset because of Hook and she ran away."

"Oh." The boy frowned. "I know where Amelia is. Follow me."

Peter flew off and Tate, with a head filled with slightly upsetting thoughts, struggled to follow.

She heard the waterfall before the music and before she saw either of them. Amelia was sitting on the far end of Mermaid Lagoon against a tree.

"Oh, I can't live a lie," Mia sang softly but loud enough to hear it over the waterfall. The waterfall itself wasn't very loud.

The young boy crowed and Mia looked up her face dropping. "Mother, look who I found!"

Mia opened her mouth to say hello to her friend and all that came out was a choking sob. Tate flew down to comfort her friend and wrapped her in her arms holding her head to her chest.

"I know, I know," Tate murmured. "I know. Don't think that I didn't give him a piece of my mind."

"Oh, Tate, you didn't hurt him did you?" Mia asked truly worried.

Tate shook her head. "Not physically, but I may have wounded his ego." There was a beat of emotionless silence. "Now all that's left to be done is to join Peter and the Lost Boys against that slimy, old, codfish and take care of him once and for all."

Mia pulled out of her friends embrace. A look of disgust covered her face as she stood. "No!" Mia argued. "I can't! Just because he won't forgive me and my being a jerk to him, doesn't mean I'm going to suddenly pick a side in this war. I still love him. In case you didn't hear my song that I just made up on the spot, that's what that meant. Please tell me you didn't tell him that I was going to the Lost Boys side."

Tate held up her hand sheepishly, there was a small space between her forefinger and thumb.

"Oh, that's just great, Tate!" Mia threw her hands in the air. "Now he probably hates me. Er, at least won't forgive me ever in a million years."

There was a rustling across the lagoon. Mia looked over just a bit hopeful.

But when Hook walked out Peter jumped in front of her.

"Come to get your other hand taken, you dumb codfish?" Peter yelled. Black storm clouds swirled up above and lightning flashed.

Mia grabbed his arm and held him back. "Knock it off, Peter. I'm sure he has a good reason to be here." She looked up to James. "Right, Jamie?"

Hook nodded. "I'm sorry, Mia. I heard everything. I never meant to hurt you. I was just hurt and angry that you returned to London and didn't want to stay with me."

She smiled halfheartedly. "I know. It's my fault. I don't blame you, I can't. You've not wronged me. Well, kidnapped me but…" She giggled.

"Forgive me?" he asked

"Only if you forgive me."

"You're always forgiven, no matter what."

Mia snorted. "I highly doubt that." She flitted over to him and allowed him to pull her into a crushing hug and twirl her around.

* * *

_**A/n: Okay, slightly shorter and a lot fluffier that the last chapter but! They are back together. When I first sat down to write this I was planning on a much longer argument between Hook and Mia and not the quick kiss and make up scene I wrote. But as I wrote on it just would come and I decided that Mia, as much as she's in love with one, is not a pirate and can't hold on to a grudge like Hook could. So tada!**_

_**Lol, now that that's over and done with… The song she sings is **_**I Just Can't Live a Lie. **_**And of course it's Carrie.**_

_**Hopefully I'll have the next chapter for you tomorrow!**_

_**Review, alert, favorite!* Pretty please with a cherry on top!**_

_**Lots o' love!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_

_*not necessarily in that order._


	9. Chapter 9

"_Auntie, can you read me a bed time story?" the black haired child asked._

"_Yes, please Mommy?" the other brunette girl asked._

_The dark haired mom shook her head. "Perhaps, Meghan can read to you from Becca's book?"_

_The blonde woman, Meghan, nodded. "Of course. But only a little." She walked over to the black haired girl and took the book she held out. "Okay, so where were we last?"_

"_Mia returned and Hook forgave her."_

"_Ah, yes here we are."_

* * *

James watched Mia from across the room as she slept. She looked as peaceful as ever as she lied on her back with Lorelei on her stomach. The cat stared at him bundled up in the blanket; her green eyes the only thing alerting him of her presence. The cat was no longer filled the hatred she once had for men, but her over protectiveness never ceases.

Tate had gone back to London but she visited constantly, and it was easy to see why she and Mia were so close. They'd been through so much together, and this was just one more thing they could add to the list.

Peter didn't come around the ship much anymore, but Amelia did read to them at night and sometimes she'd spend the day playing with the Lost Boys. These days, though few in the beginning, were starting to become her life. She seemed to be happiest there. James didn't mind it really.

And through all this, James was there, constantly keeping her busy. Assigning her odd tasks here and there and suggesting they go for an outing. Mainly to keep her mind off of something Tate had said that day Mia came back. Though anyone could tell that whenever Mia was alone she'd think of what she'd lost. Of what she thought she couldn't have.

He noticed her happiness started to slip away just a month ago. She's started catching on to what he was doing. Not that she minded much. And it wasn't like she wasn't happy, of course she was. But she was becoming less and less the joyous girl she used to be. It pained him, really, to see it; to watch as the childish light in her eyes slowly dimmed.

All the fairies even tried to help out but…

Of course, Mia would never admit to anything of the sort. She was one to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders. But, James always saw through it. Now, of course, it was starting to take a toll on her. She was always tired and never wanted to do much of anything. She'd stay in the cabin for days at a time, urging everyone to leave her alone. And after Smee walked in on her crying, they did.

Then there was her kitten. She treated it like it was human baby. Tate assured everyone that Mia had always done that.

In all honesty, he really didn't mind the cat much; mind you his allergies were atrocious. Mainly because, one night over dinner, Mia had told him that since she now lived in Neverland, Lorelei was a close to a child of her own as she was going to get.

It pained him, physically almost, to think that she would never really be truly happy. And all it would take was a child. It wasn't as if he hadn't tried to talk Mia into returning to London, with him of course, to have a child of their own but she never agreed. She'd always put it off as no big deal. She was lying through her teeth each time.

James has come to realize that if she's not happy, then he won't be either. And he'll take it out on his crew. Which worries Mia. It's just one huge repeating circle and he thinks he's found a way out of it.

Amelia stirs and turns over to face him causing Lorelei to fall off her post. Using this as a cue, James walked out on deck and caught Smee, telling him to make breakfast.

He returns to the cabin only to find Mia still asleep. Smiling, he joined her back in bed and brushed a stray lock of hair out of her face. He lay there and watched her for another ten or so minutes before her face scrunched up in a smile.

He closed his eyes and slowed his ever so deep breathing.

"Aw… Jamie, you're here this morning. You must've fallen back asleep." It was Mia's turn to brush away hair and press a lasting kiss to his lips.

James raised his hand to her cheek and kissed her back passionately.

"Mmm, good morning," Mia hummed breathlessly after the kiss.

"G'morning, me love," Hook says. "How did you sleep?"

"Wonderful," she murmured as she snuggled closer to him. "And you?" She yawned and closed her eyes.

"Wonderful, as well." James chuckled. "Come on, love. Time to get up."

"But I'm still tired," she complained. "I played with the fairies all day yesterday."

He rolled his eyes. "I've things planned for us to do today."

Mia groaned. "This isn't another one of your 'Let's keep Mia busy so she doesn't get depressed,' schemes, is it?"

He frowned, his brow creasing and it almost made Mia take it back. Almost.

"No," he said. "No, I truly want to spend the day together. I'd like for us just to be and not try to pull anything over the other. I won't stop you from feeling however you want. And you won't ask me what we're doing. Do we have an accord?"

Mia exhaled heavily and looked up into his endless, questioning for-get-me-not blue eyes. "I suppose."

He smiled and kissed her nose. Lorelei meow-oof-ed and Mia sighed again. There was a knock on the door and Smee's voice came through announcing breakfast.

James got up and let him in to place the silver tray of food on the desk.

Mia sniffed the air and hummed her delight. She stood and walked over to the tray to look at what was being served. "French toast, eggs, bacon." She took a sip from a glass. "And honeyed milk. This is my favorite breakfast. Are you sure it isn't one of your schemes?"she wondered.

"I simply asked Smee to make us breakfast, what he made was all him," he explained as he pulled out Mia's chair.

She looked up at him and smirked. "You're up to something. I know it. I just can't figure out what."

* * *

_**A/n: Sorry this took soo long. I was having trouble writting this. Huh.**_

_**Anywhoo. There's probably 3 or 4 more chapters of this. I'm not too sure about how I want to write them but they will be written fairly fast since this upcoming part will be my favorite to write.**_

_**Alrighty...Review, favorite, and alert, please!**_

_**Till the next chapter,  
Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	10. Chapter 10

Mia leaned into James as they walked through the jungle and towards the beach. She was still weary of whatever he was planning on asking of her.

"Okay, I'm breaking my promise. I have to ask. What do you want?" Mia wondered. "And before you say anything, I know you want something. You fed me my favorite breakfast, took me on an intimate tour of the island, and had a beautiful picnic waiting for us at my favorite spot near Mermaid Lagoon."

James pushed away some foliage to show a candle lit dinner waiting for them on the beach.

Mia smirked. "And now you have a candlelight dinner. What do you want?" she asked again.

"I just want to make this day as perfect as possible."

Mia chuckled and sauntered over to the table. "Let me guess… Fettuccini Alfredo, bread sticks and salad with raspberry balsamic vinaigrette." She lifted the lid off her plate and smiled. She was right. "How did I know?"

James frowned slightly which caused Mia to backtrack and go wrap her arms around his waist.

"Look, Jamie darling, today _has_ been absolutely perfect. Even if we were locked in your cabin all day with nothing to do but play Pickup Sticks and Go Fish, eating nothing but sardines, it'd still be a perfect day as long as you were there suffering with me. There's no way this day could be any more perfect."

He laughed wholeheartedly, his hand pressing softly into her back, and held up his other arm and a little velvet bag dangled from his Hook. "So, I guess that means I won't be needin' this?"

It was Mia's turn to frown as she took in the shimmery red bag. "What is it?"

"Oh, it's nothing. Just a little bauble I've had for years. Not important really."

This piqued Mia's interest further. "If it's not important then let me see it." She went to grab the bag but he held it out of her reach. "Hey, that's no fair! You're way taller than me!"

"It's plenty fair, me love," he teased.

"No!" Mia said, squirming out of his embrace. She tried to jump and grab the bag but she was still too short. "It's. Not!" she snapped between jumps. Finally, she gave up by crossing her arms and pouting.

James chuckled and pulled her close. "You were the one that said today was perfect. I don't want today to be too perfect. So… I'm savin' this for a rainy day. Perhaps when we're stuck in my cabin playin' Pickup sticks and Go Fish eatin' sardines?"

Mia rolled her eyes. "There's no such thing as a too perfect day."

"Well, isn't someone a lil' princess today?"

Mia frowned. "It your fault. You would've carried me everywhere had I not insisted that if I got tired I'd tell you."

"Rightly so." He gestured to the dinner. "Let us eat this delicious meal Smee's prepared for us, then perhaps I'll give you your gift."

"Oh, alright."

James smiled and pulled out Mia's seat. She graciously sat down and looked to him expectantly. James barely had time to sit and pour two glasses of wine before Mia began swiftly eating her dinner. She didn't exactly scarf it down, for if she did she would've burnt all her taste buds. But she ate her dinner swifter than she would have any other night.

While she finished considerably sooner than James did, he continued eating, not paying his companion any mind. After what seemed like ages, but was in fact only a minute, James took the last bite of his salad. He looked up at the anxious stare on Mia's face and smiled. Without saying a word, he took up Mia's plate and placed it on top of his before handing her the velvet bag.

Mia giggled as the anticipation became too much for her. The weight of the bag shocked her. She didn't think that a bag that small could weigh so much. She pulled the mouth of the bag open a little bit and gazed in. The two things that caught her eye the most were the two necklaces. The first she pulled out was an onyx heart pendant. The black heart was in the clutches of a vine of silver roses. Attached to the bottom of the chain was a pair of matching earrings.

"Brilliant," she murmured.

The next item she pulled out was another pendant that reminded her of an oversized Christmas tree light. Inside the 'bulb' part of it was a beautiful, handcrafted, fully-bloomed miniature red rose. The vial was capped with a stunning vintage-style top. She had to dig to find the matching earrings, which were hidden at the bottom by a charm bracelet.

At first she didn't think anything of the bracelet until she took a closer look at the charms. In an instant she knew the story behind each and every one. From the silver heart-shaped "Happy Birthday" charm, to the purple and blue tear drops.

"But how?" she asked, she looked up at her lover.

He shrugged. "The fairies brought it to me while you were in London. Tinkerbelle said that it was yours when ye where younger."

"Yeah, I got it for my first birthday. I always thought I lost it when I was pushed off of the plank," She studied the bracelet further. "I got a charm for my birthday and for every trip I ever went on. Except, I lost it before I could get a charm to represent Neverland. It would've been the last charm."

She fingered a particular charm and held it up. "I know where each of these charms came from, minus this one. Care to explain where it came from and why it's in the spot for Neverland's charm?"

He smirked. "Technically, it is from Neverland."

Mia looked back to the heart shaped charm and smiled. "I love you, too."

He waved her over to his side of the table and sat her in his lap wrapping his arms around her waist, careful not to hurt her with his hook. "I'm glad," he kissed her temple, "because then this would have been terribly awkward."

Mia frowned, "What?"

Using his good hand, he dug into his coat pocket and pulled something out. "Trust me when I say, in all my years, I never once thought that I'd ask this, least of all of a Darling girl."

"If that's supposed to be complimenting, I don't feel complimented."

He simply chuckled to nervous to say anything in return. "Amelia… Mia…"

She smiled, not quite sure why her heart was racing. "Jamie?"

He held up his fisted hand, pressed betwixt his thumb and forefinger was a ring. A beautiful, flower-shaped sterling silver ring. It had a collection of yellow diamonds in the center of six cream colored mother-of-pearl petals which were outlined with white diamonds.

James drew in a deep breath. "Mia… Will you- will you marry me?"

* * *

_**An: HAHA! A great cliffhanger. Haven't had one of those in a loooong while... Lol I'm pretty sure we all know the answer. If you don't well, good luck to you.**_

_**I really am sorry for the long wait on this chapter. I rewrote it about four times, dis liking the first two versions, liking the third but blondie me accidently deleted it, then came this version. Still not in love with it but it's my favorite. We win some, we lose some. If I ever get polyvore to work with me then the jewlery will have a link on my profile. I'm sure if you click around my polyvore account you can get a preview of the wedding *hinthint* of course that'd be a major spoiler for you guys. And it would really suck on my part. Of course the wedding scene isn't even written yet but all the details are there. And now I'm rambling...**_

_**Huh...**_

_**Anyway, going to write the next chappie as soon as I get polyvore on my side again...**_

_**LOVE YOU ALL!  
Lyra Raine Sparrow.**_

_**P.S. Please drop a review! Thanks!**_


	11. Chapter 11

"_Meghan, please, please, please read another chapter! What does Mia say?!" the brunette girl asks._

"_I think you know exactly what she says," Meghan responds._

"_Nuh-uh. Do you, Hailey?!"_

_The black-haired child, Hailey, shakes her head, her curls bouncing._

"_See, Meghan, read us another chapter!"_

_Meghan chuckled at the girls' antics. "Fine. But only one more chapter." She glared at the two little girls. "Then you both have to go to bed."_

* * *

The question had knocked the breath out of Mia. Out of every single sappy thing she'd ever thought of, including how she accepted her last engagement, the only thing that came to her mind was one word. However, that one word was not her answer.

"Yes. Yes! A million times yes!" Without missing a beat her soft gentle lips crashed on to his wind chapped ones and passion erupted between them. James traced her bottom lip with his tongue. Mia gladly obliged and the kiss deepened considerably. Faintly, Mia noted the significant feeling of her engagement ring being pushed onto her finger.

The heavy kiss was shorted due to lack of air when Mia pulled back and smiled. "I love you with all my heart," she whispered. "I couldn't dream of a more perfect man to marry."

"I hope I'm the only man you dream of," he teased.

Mia bit her lip and plastered on a look of guilt. "Well… the one that's my fiancé. The rest are just friends and family."

"Oh, are they now?" he asked. "Friends you say?"

"Mm-hmm, like Smee and Peter and Leonardo, Tate's boss," Mia explained. "That enough about my guy friends. You've just won the heart of the princess! What are you going to do next?"

James just gazed at her, his pale blue eyes boring into her darker ones. How in the world did he end up with the greatest woman in the world?

"_I would bet my life like I bet my heart"_ she sang softly._  
That you were the one, baby  
I've never been so sure of anything before  
You're driving my heart crazy_

_I can't hold out  
I can't hold back now  
Like I've done before_"

His icy eyes looked away and into a candle flame. She was absolutely perfect, if his word was anything to go by. Since her return his observation had only proven truer. She had such a kind heart, a wonderful personality. She actually managed to calm a lot of the animosity on the Jolly Roger, shockingly.

"_Darling, look at me  
I've fallen like a fool for you  
Darling, can't you see  
I'd do anything you want me to _

_I tell myself I'm in too deep  
Then I fall a little farther  
Every time you look at me_"

A small smile graced her lips as he looked back to her and she blushed a deep scarlet. "I'm sorry."

He brushed a stray lock of her hair out of her face. "Never apologize for being you."

"_How do you do that, babe?  
Make me feel like I'm the only girl alive for you  
I don't know what it is that makes me fall like this  
First time in your arms I knew _

_The way you held me  
I knew that this could be  
What I've been waiting to find_"

Mia wrapped her arms around his neck and snuggled into his chest. He hugged her tight, kissed the top of her head, and sighed contentedly.

"_Darling, look at me  
I've fallen like a fool for you  
Darling, can't you see  
I'd do anything you want me to _

_I tell myself I'm gettin in too deep  
Then I fall a little farther  
Every time you look at me_"

She yawned, her exhaustion from the long day finally catching up to her. She snuggled closer ad shut her eyes.

"_Every time you look at me_"

They sat in the moonlight, sounds of the ocean and beach washing over them, until the soft sounds of Mia's even breathing echoed in his ears. She'd fallen asleep.

Sighing contentedly, he stood and began walking back to the ship. He'd send Smee to pick up.

* * *

_**A/n: I apologize for the shortness of this. I found that I loved it just the way it was.**_

_**The song in this chapter is Look at Me. Of course it's a Carrie song.**_

_**Thanks to all my readers, the few of you that there are. 3**_

_**Lyra Raine Sparrow**_


	12. Chapter 12

**A/n: It pains me to say this but I was NOT kidnapped by our dashing captain. Instead, I had taken a much needed break from this story. Unfortunately, my inspiration is as fleeting as the meetings between me and my friend Tate. Now that school has been in session I hardly get to see her and therefore I have absolutely no *new* material for Tate's character and she played a big part in this chapter, key word played.**

**So… I'm forgoing the whole announcement chapter(s) that I had planned as well as the planning chapter(s) since every time I sit down to write them I lose all muses… So I'm going to jump right into the wedding, but don't worry, the story is not over yet!**

**By the way a link to Mia's wedding stuff is on my profile!**

* * *

Mia stood before the mirror, her heart racing as she took in the beauty that was the Future Mrs. Hook. In just a few short moments she was going to see her last day as Amelia Monet Darling.

It was surreal, really, to be standing there; a vision in white tulle and lace with her mother on one side and Tate on the other.

Her mother was dressed in a simple yellow dress that reached mid-calf and beige platform sandals. Tate on the other hand was the Matron-of-honor in a knee-length teal satin dress that had a sand colored bow accenting the empire waist. Sitting on the chaise lounge in the background were Harriet, Mia's sister-in-law, and her niece, Meghan. Harriet's dress was the exact same as Tate's save for the bow was the same color as the satin of the dress. Meghan, the flower girl, wore a dress the color of Mia's ocean blue satin shoes. Her dress though, was made of silk and floor length.

Mia's eyes roamed back over her own figure. She was dressed in an ivory silk, A-line, princess gown that reached just below her knees, covered in an intricate floral lace overskirt.

An aqua stone and diamond choker adorned her neck. Her hair had been allowed to curl on its own accord but her bangs had been pulled back held in place by small starfish clips and the simple elbow length veil that was her "something old". Her makeup was all very natural and light, highlighting her natural beauty.

Her necklace, a gift from James that morning, was her something new. The shoes were borrowed from Tate, and somewhere in the back of her mind it made her frown that she wouldn't be able to keep them, they were, after all, terribly cute. They also accounted for her something blue. The authentic sixpence pressed against the ball of her left foot was the same one each Darling girl since Wendy had wed with.

"You look beautiful," the three women said simultaneously.

It seemed to break the haughty nervous tension in the room causing them all to relax.

Jane placed a hand on her daughter's cheek. "Relax, Amelia, Ho- James," her face screwed up in near disgust at the name, "is beyond lucky to have you as his bride."

Mia blushed. "Call him as you wish Mum; I'm sure he won't mind." She thought better of it then added, "Except codfish. He'll mind codfish."

* * *

Garret stood at the alter conversing with his soon-to-be brother-in-law, awed, though not entirely stunned that his sister was soon to be wed to a man that used to haunt his dreams as a child.

He could tell that James was nervous. His hands clasped and unclasped, his eyes constantly darted to the closed doors that would be opening any minute, and when he chuckled, it was uneasily. Finally after what seemed like eons, the doors to the pavilion reopened to reveal Harriet.

Off to the side, the band, consisting of a string quartet and a piano, began to play Pachelbel's Canon as Harriet took to the makeshift boardwalk that led down to the edge of the Caribbean Sea. Tate follows a few paces behind, followed by Tootles as the ring bearer and Meghan as the flower girl.

Time seemed to pause as Mia appeared, her father on her arm. James' breath stopped as he watched her walk down the aisle. He'd given her a once over when she appeared, but it only told him she was in a short dress rather than a floor length that he assumed she'd wear.

The walk seemed to take decades but too soon for Amelia's father, he was handing her off.

"Dearly Beloved," the minister begins, "we are gathered here today in the presence of these witnesses, to join James Hook and Amelia Darling in matrimony, which is commended to be honorable among all men; and therefore is not by any to be entered into unadvisedly or lightly, but reverently, discreetly, advisedly and solemnly. Into this holy estate these two persons present now come to be joined. If any person can show just cause why they may not be joined together, let them speak now or forever hold their peace."

Mia's heart raced as the seconds ticked on. She had no worries that any of her family, nor James' crew, would speak up. But any of the lost boys could. Though, she hadn't seen Peter.

Come to think of it she hadn't seen Peter all week.

"Does this couple have the blessings of their family for this marriage?"

"On behalf of those who are with us, and those who have gone before, I give my blessing to this union."

The entire wedding party turned to watch as the blonde haired boy made his way to the second row where his seat awaited him. Both the bride and groom smiled. Their family was officially all here.

The minister smiled and looked back to the couple. "The couple has chosen to allow a close friend to do the first reading*."

Tate smiled as she took her parchment from Harriet.

"You have known each other from the first glance of acquaintance to this point of commitment. At some point, you decided to marry. From that moment of yes to this moment of yes, indeed, you have been making promises and agreements in an informal way. All those conversations that were held riding in a car or over a meal or during long walks — all those sentences that began with "When we're married" and continued with "I will and you will and we will"- those late night talks that included "someday" and "somehow" and "maybe"- and all those promises that are unspoken matters of the heart. All these common things, and more, are the real process of a wedding."

Tate looked up at the couple and smirked.

"The symbolic vows that you are about to make are a way of saying to one another, "You know all those things we've promised and hoped and dreamed- well, I meant it all, every word." Look at one another and remember this moment in time. Before this moment you have been many things to one another- acquaintance, friend, companion, lover, dancing partner, and even teacher, for you have learned much from one another in these last few years. Now you shall say a few words that take you across a threshold of life, and things will never quite be the same between you. For after these vows, you shall say to the world, this- is my husband, this- is my wife."

As she finished, there was a soft applause, though, no one in the audience was clapping. However, the majority of guests knew of the fairies hiding in the tulle covering the archway.

The minister took over the ceremony again, reciting something mundane and cookie-cutter. Though, the couple wanted the entire ceremony to be unique to only them, there were a few things that they couldn't entirely control. The minister's definition of marriage for instance.

Mia looked up at her… almost husband and smiled into his forget-me-not blue eyes. He himself looked dreadfully handsome, his attire across between his normal garb and what was considered "Socially acceptable." His hair though, had been left untouched; the one thing Mia had put her foot down about, since James practically begged her not to change hers (much). It wasn't even allowed to be pulled back. She still got the sense of '_Captain'_ from him, just not '_Pirate Captain_'.

She knew she was crying even before James gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

"James, will you have this woman to be your wedded wife, to love her, comfort her, honor and keep her, and forsaking all others, keep you only unto her, for so long as you both shall live?" the minister asked.

This pulled Mia from her thoughts.

"I do," the pirate bridegroom voiced.

The minister then turned to Mia. "Will you, Amelia, have this man to be your wedded husband, to love him, comfort him, honor and keep him, forsaking all others, keep you only unto him, for so long as you both shall live?"

Mia smiled. "I do."

"I ask that the couple, who has decided to write their own vows, clasp hands as they recite them."

She watched as her brother handed James the two envelopes holding the vows. One was handed to her before she made a move to clasp Hook's right hand, which of course was prosthetic, and totally unnerving to see him with two hands rather than one and a hook.

"Mia," Hook spoke, his voice rough with emotion, though as gentle as the waves crashing just to the left of her, "from the moment I first laid eyes on you, I was vexed. You were a stubborn, insolent little girl and my feelings toward you confused me. I hated that I was so protective over you. Risking my life to save yours. But as I watched you grow and mature, my feelings grew stronger and I couldn't stay away. I realize now that I had loved you. Ye still possess that childish light in your eyes that I had come to treasure dearly. This and more is why I'm marrying you. I promise to protect you and love and care for you as long as we both shall live, no matter the sacrifices I will have to make."

Though, she tried, as did the entire guest list, Mia could not keep from weeping openly at the truth and conviction in his caring words.

She looked down at her spidery handwriting. "Jamie, I hate you." She brought her eyes to his and held as she spoke. "From the moment we met, I hated you. You were selfish, and arrogant and extremely pig-headed. You still are."

Mia watched as his face fell but she didn't stop her vows to apologize as she would've done any other time.

"Yet I found myself transfixed by you. Over the next sixteen years I would marvel at your appearance every night. Within the last two years, however, I was allowed to see a side of you that no one knew existed. You take claim to a gentle soul and remarkable kindness you've never ceased to show me. Though, you continue to hide behind your big-bad-wolfness. It is for these reasons and more that I'm marrying you. I promise to love and to hold you, to protect you from all I can and to care for you with all my heart until my existence ceases."

James had to suppress every urge not to scoop her up and take her where they stood. It wouldn't be the first time they'd made love spur of the moment in the most random of places.

He was a pirate after all.

"May the rings be passed forth," the minister said.

Mia was handed James silver band (in which the infinity symbol was etched twice and between the two markings, a tiny white diamond was inlaid) which she held up. "James, because this ring is perfectly symmetrical, it signifies the perfection of true love. As I place it on your finger, I give you all that I am and ever hope to be."

As she slid the ring unto the third finger of his left hand, his good hand, he replied; "I will wear it gladly. Whenever I look at it, I will remember this joyous day and the vows we've made."

Mia's ring was slightly different. It was slimmer for one, and instead of being etched into the band, two infinity symbol were wound into it, a diamond placed where they overlapped.

Hook held up the ring. "Because this ring has no end or beginning, it signifies the continuation of true love. As I place it on your finger, I give you all that I am and ever hope to be."

As the band was placed upon her finger and nestled next to her engagement ring, she responded; "I will wear it gladly. Whenever I look at it, I will remember this joyous day and the vows we've made."

The rest of the ceremony seemed to go by too fast, she could hardly hear the minister as he read the second reading and blessed them upon the unity sand ceremony, for she simply looked into her lovers eyes as he prattled on.

It wasn't until the words "I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may kiss the bride," were uttered did she return to the land of reality.

James' lips descended upon hers as they shared the unifying kiss. Of course it broke too soon. With good reason of course.

The minister smiled as the newlywed couple turned out to face the family and friends. "It's with great honor that I present to you today, Captain and Missus James Hook!"

Applause erupted as the couple retreated back up the aisle to the pavilion all the while being peppered with shouts of "Congratulations!" and "Hats off!" and the like.

* * *

_**A/N 2: My my my, this took my entirely too long to type. However it is about twice as long as normal so I do hope that makes up for my extreme tardiness, at least a tiny bit!**_

_**Next come the reception which hopefully won't be as boring, nor as sappy….**_

_**Hope you guys enjoyed. See you soon!**_

_**Blessed be,  
Lyra Raine Sparrow.**_


	13. Chapter 13

"Ladies and Gentlemen, I have some bad news - after writing and re-writing, editing and re-editing, the very shortest I could make this speech is one hour and sixteen minutes. But don't worry, I'm not going to do the whole thing right now … instead, here are the worst five minutes." Mia laughed along with the crowd at her brother's antics as she leaned into her new husband.

"Most of you know who I am, for those of you who don't, I'm Garret, Mia's little brother. And as her little brother, I always knew this day would come. I would stand before a crowd at her wedding, as I do today; look the man she has chosen in the eye and say, "You are not worthy. Go home."" James frowned at this. But Garret continued anyway. "What I didn't expect, was to be standing here as James's best man and to be admitting that he is most certainly worthy of my sister." This brought a smile to both the bride and groom.

"As my first best manly duty I would like to thank you all, on behalf of James and Mia, for sharing in their special day today, especially those of you who knew that I'd be saying a few words - it's very touching that you still decided to come." A soft chuckle circled the pavilion. "And for helping to eat, drink and dance through £15,000 worth of their hard earned cash, and ensuring they begin their married life in debt up to their eyeballs…

"Now, as one or two of you here may know, being best man is no easy task. When James first offered me the job, I was deeply honored, of course – but also more than a little apprehensive. Like most people, I've never been particularly keen on public speaking, but it seems to be genetically encoded in all men to choose the friend with the most socially unacceptable traits to get up here. Finally, someone appreciates me for who I am. Mia, I am referring to you." This time it was a full hearty laugh the resounded.

"I appreciate you," she argues. "You shortness always came in handy when we snuck out."

Garret chuckled and rolled his eyes at the memory. "Then, having duly accepted the honor, I spent a long time wondering how to describe James – with the respect due to a man on his wedding day; how to strike the right tone of sincerity, praise and warmth. You see, James is a man who truly defies description. I could speak for an hour about him (don't worry, I'm not going to) and when I'd finished we'd be no closer to grasping the essential essence of my very dear friend… And yet, miraculously, he can be very neatly summed up with a single, internationally recognized hand gesture." He circled his finger at his temple causing another round of giggles.

"Of course, I've known Mia much longer than I've known James, but I have been sternly warned not to delve into any of her terrible past relationships, her horrible pre- and post-teen attitude, her early problems with alcohol and the short spell she spent in a Singapore jail for drug trafficking." This made Mia red-faced as she remembered this. Of course it wasn't real just a part she had acted for. "Instead, all I'll say is that, as I have seen her grow up, she has become a lovely, independent, very straightforward person who I know I could trust with anything, even James. So it is an honor to be here today, not just for James, but also for my sister.

"Mia has also been the mastermind behind today's ceremony and, Mia, it's been perfect! All your hard work has paid off, and I must say I feel privileged to have been involved. I would like to point out, however, that my contribution to today is not merely limited to this speech. I am personally responsible for the seating plan. The bride and groom just couldn't agree on who should go where. So, being a responsible best man, I decided to step up and help resolve the issue. My solution was to work from the gift list – those who'd bought the most expensive presents would sit at the front and we'd work back from there. So if you can hear me on Table 45, a big thank you to Sarah and Mark for the tea towel."

Poor Sarah and Mark. This of course wasn't true but that didn't stop the whole party to stare at them.

"Before I toast the happy couple and draw this to a close, I would like to wish the new Captain and Mrs. Hook the very best for their future journey together. And I hope, when they look back years from now on this, their wedding day, they realize it was the day that they loved each other the least. Ladies and gentlemen, please be upstanding and raise your glasses to my very best friend and her beautiful new husband. To the Bride and Groom."

* * *

Mia stared up into the forget-me-not eyes of her _husband._ She couldn't help the smile that graced her face as the word was repeated through her head. She sighed contentedly as they spun around on the dance floor for their first dance.

"Why are you all smiley, Mrs. Hook?" James questions a large grin on his face as well.

Mia giggled. "For that precise reason, my dear Captain. I never thought I'd ever be calling _you_ my husband, let alone be happy about it."

She sighed contentedly and rested her head on his broad chest, ignoring the amused look on James' face. His arm around her waist tightened as he pressed a kiss to the crown of her head, careful not to mess up her hair.

"Have I told you how stunning you look?"

Mia giggled. "Yes. Twenty times already."

"Really?"

"Yes."

James frowned. "Well, have I told you how much I love you?"

Mia pulled away and stared up in awe at her husband. It wasn't the fact that he hadn't told her he loved her. He had. She could actually tell you where and when he said it, he didn't say it often and she didn't either. It was unspoken between them. In the months leading up to the wedding, he'd said it all of fifteen times. But he never said it in public, he was always too busy glowering at any one who dared look in her direction.

"We're around people," she says astonished.

His head tilts to the side, a curious look on his face. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"You've said "I love you" all of fifty-seven times. Not once was it said in front of people."

"You don't doubt it, do you?"

"Never. I wouldn't be standing here if I did." She shook her head and giggled. "I love you too."

Their dance ended then and they split up for the father/daughter and mother/son dances. James danced with Jane for obvious reasons. When they finally got back to their table, food was served and everyone busied themselves with eating and dancing and the open bar.

"I love you," James whispered in her ear. "I love you. I love you. I love you. You are my world and everything in it. I'm yours always."

"And forever," Mia breathes before standing up on her tiptoes and pressing a kiss to her husband's lips.

* * *

_Hailey smiles. "Did they live happily ever after?"_

_Meghan smiles. "I don't know. That's for you to decide."_

"_What do you mean?" Hailey wonders._

"_I'll tell you in the morning. Now you two girls need some sleep. Good night."_

_The two little girls yawn heavily and close their eyes as Meghan shut the light off and leaves the room._

* * *

**_A/N: Guys this is the last chapter! BUT I will be posting an epilogue later today._**

**_Don't forget to review!  
LOVE you guys!  
Lyra_**


	14. Epilogue

_**Epilogue**_

Becca yawns and sits up when she smells the delicous scent of her aunt's pancakes. With an overzealous bounce down the stairs, she arrives in the kitchen to find Meghan and her foster mother sitting at the table.

"Ah, Becca. Glad you're awake. You have a busy day today," Becca's foster mother says.

"What are we doing?" the nine year old asks.

"I'll tell you right after you finish breakfast."

Becca smiles and climbs up in her seat. When she's finished, Meghan takes her upstairs to clean up and pack her stuff up. In the car on the way home, Becca asks her mother once again what they're doing today.

"There's a couple of people I want you to meet." The woman glances into the rearview mirror and sighs. The young child looked so content, she almost hated to do this to the young girl she raised. "Becca, do you remember when I told you that you were adopted and you asked me who you're parents were and I told you that I didn't know?"

Confused, Becca nodded. She had only been five at the time. It was strange to hear that her mother really wasn't her mother. It wasn't a concept she could quite grasp. But no matter what anybody said, Beverly would always be her mother.

Beverly frowned. "I lied." The car stopped in the parking lot to their favorite park. "Becca, there's a couple I'd really like you to meet. What happens afterward is up to you."

"Momma? What are you saying?"

Beverly gets out of the car and Becca follows her over to a couple sitting on a nearby bench. The woman wore a short brown dress accented with her metallic blue pumps, and turquoise jewlery. Her sun-bleached hair that at one point was a dirty brown was pulled up into a "Tinkerbell Bun" as she liked to call it. Her partner, whom stood beside her, was dressed a pair of black dress slacks and a white Oxford. His hair, almost black and just as curly as the mop that sat upon Becca's head.

When the woman spotted the mother and daughter duo, she tapped her husbands shoulder and together they stood and met halfway.

"Beverly, I know how much this must hurt to do this," the woman says gently.

Bev just smiles. "I knew this day would come. Becca, I want you to meet your parents."

Becca gasps and steps back. She didn't want to believe it. These couldn't be her parents. Her parents didn't care about her. They'd just left her at the door to the orphanage!

But, when she really looked at them she saw it. She had his hair, her eyes, his fairer skin, her smile... the list went on in her head and suddenly she knew exactly who they were.

"You're real!" she exclaims. "I knew it!" She runs to them and tries to pull them both into a hug. "Hailey didn't believe! She even said she didn't believe in fairies! But I made her take it right back. She thinks it's just a silly story but I know it's not!"

The couple chuckles.

"She certainly has your attitude, love," James whispers into Mia's ear.

"Rebecca," Mia says seriously. "Since you know who were are and where we live, there's something we have to ask you. Something very serious."

Becca backs away nodding. "I know what it is. And no, I won't go with you to Neverland. I can't. I have too many friends here. And Mom – I mean – Beverly would be lost without me. And Hailey needs someone to make sure that she stays out of trouble."

Mia laughs softly and swallows back her tears. "You're so grown. I wish I was here to watch you grow up. But time passes differently in Neverland."

"But you were here." She holds up her wrist to show off the charm bracelet with exactly nine charms.

Her mother, her real mother, pulls her into a hug and picks her up. "Oh, Becca. I'm going to miss you so much more now."

"You're leaving so soon?" Beverly wonders.

"We'll stay, for a li'l while at least," James says putting an arm around Mia. "But we'll have to leave eventually."

Beverly nods, a sense of relief washing over her, knowing that Becca was staying. After a moment she pulls out her smartphone and snaps a picture of the reunited family. There was one more page to add to the book.

* * *

_**Guys! I won't be gone long. Keep an eye out for the sequal!**_


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